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Monoplane tailplane between booms. Each boom terminates in a fin and rudder. All-metal structure with fabric-covered movable surfaces.

Three Junkers Jumo 205C twelve-cylinder diesel engines rated at 880 hp for take off, one mounted in a nacelle above the centre-line of the wing and two in nacelles at extremities of the centre-section and in line with tail booms. Three-bladed controllable pitch airscrews to outer engines, four-bladed airscrew to centre section. Fuel carried in tubular spar of centre-section.

Mooring compartment in nose. Then follows a gunner’s position with gun turret. Pilot’s compartment in front of leading edge of wing with wireless and navigation positions in hull below wings. Gunner’s position with gun turret at rear of the hull. One 20mm MG201 with 330 rounds of ammunition located in the forward gun turret, one 20mm MG201 with 220 rounds of ammunition located in the rear gun turret. Shackles under the wing for up to four 100 kg bombs, four depth charges or two sea mines.

Arado Ar196 Float Reconnaissance Aircraft

Technical Description

Low-wing semi-cantilever monoplane. Wings have straight leading edges, slightly swept-forward to trailing edges and rounded tips. They are attached to the lower fuselage longerons and are braced for about one-third of the half-span by inverted Vee struts from the floats.

Fuselage is a welded steel tube structure. The front part of the fuselage, which is circular, is covered with a stressed metal skin; the rear part, which is oval, is fabric covered.

Cantilever monoplane type tail unit with fin located in front of the tailplane. Statically and aerodynamically balanced rudder and one piece elevator. All metal structure with metal covered tailplane and fin and fabric covered rudder and elevator. Trimming tabs in elevator adjustable in the air; tab in rudder adjustable on the ground only.

Twin long single-step floats attached to the fuselage by a system of streamlined steel tube struts in the form of an inverted “W” when viewed from the front. Main side struts are cross-braced in the fore-and-aft plane. Floats provided with catapult points. Water rudders.

One 900 hp BMW 132K nine-cylinder radial air cooled engine with supercharged and fuel injection pump, driving a three-bladed variable pitch airscrew. NACA cowling. Two fuel tanks totaling 900 litres – one in the fuselage and one in the starboard float.

Pilot and wireless air gunner in tandem cockpits under continuous transparent canopy with sliding sections over the cockpits. Two 15mm MG151 machineguns with 300 rounds per gun in the wings and one 7.92mm MG17 with 225 rounds in the cowling of the fuselage; two 7.92mm MG81 machineguns with 400 rounds per gun on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit. Provision for two 50 kg bombs beneath the wings.

Fieseler Fi168 “Hammerhaie” Carrier Strike Aircraft

Service History

In May 1940 the German Kriegsmarine announced that it had adopted the Accrisius Avenger/ENAER Alicanto dive and torpedo bomber to succeed the venerable Fieseler Fi167 as the principal strike aircraft of the re-emergent Marineflieger. A production was acquired, together with tooling and several complete aircraft to serve as patterns. The Fieseler firm, with its experience in the manufacture of carrier-based aircraft, was assigned the task of manufacturing the aircraft for the Kriegsmarine, under the designation Fi168 “Hammerhaie” (Hammerhead Shark).

Cockpit seats two in tandem under transparent canopy. Armoured windscreen and cockpit armour plating provided. Two 20mm MG201 cannon with 60 rounds per gun in each wing outside the airscrew disc. One flexible 13mm MG131 machinegun with 400 rounds located in the rear cockpit. Provision for carrying one 880 kg torpedo or armour-piercing bomb of the same weight, or combination of smaller bombs to a maximum of 500 kg for dive-bombing.

Focke Wulf Fw190M Carrier-based Fighter Aircraft

Development

The Focke Wulf Fw190M was derived from the land-based Fw190A fighter to meet immediate Marineflieger requirements for a replacement for the fragile Bf109T. The first pre-production aircraft appeared in the summer of 1941 with full-scale production commencing in the autumn of that year.

Technical Description

Low wing cantilever monoplane. Wing in one piece, the front spar being continuous and passing through the fuselage, to which it is attached at three points – two on the upper flange and one on the lower. The rear spar is in two sections, the roots being attached to the sides of the fuselage by normal pin joints. Two spar wing structure with widely-spaced flange plate former ribs, span-wise Z-section stringers and a stressed metal skin. The spars are built up of flanged plates which, inboard from the ailerons, are reinforced by L-section extrusions and progressively thickened end caps to form I-section members. Outboard of ailerons the spars have single integral flanges. The front spar from the points of attachment of the undercarriage to the upper attachments to the fuselage is cranked inward, the undercarriage when retracted lying ahead of the front spar. The gun and undercarriage bays have specially strengthened ribs. Metal framed, fabric covered ailerons. Electrically operated all metal split trailing-edge flaps between ailerons and fuselage.

Fuselage is an all-metal monocoque structure built-up of bulkheads, flanged formers, Z-section stringers and a smooth stressed skin covering. The front inverted U-shaped bulkhead attaches to the upper flange of the front spar and on the front face of the bulkhead and spar are five attachment points for the engine mounting – three on the spar and two on the bulkhead. All other bulkheads and frames conform to the cross-section of the fuselage. The extreme rear section is integral with the fin and is detachable from the main structure. Large detachable panel in the underside of the fuselage extending from the engine bay to rear of cockpit for installation and removal of fuel tanks.

Retractable type undercarriage. Main cantilever oleo-legs are hinged ahead of the front spar and retract inwardly, fairing plates on legs and wheels and on the undersurface of the wings closing the apertures when the wheels are raised. Electrical retraction. The tail wheel is also partially retracted by a cable connected to the starboard oleo-leg. Tail wheel has spring centering and centre-lock, the latter operating when the control column is pulled hard back.

Pilot’s cockpit over trailing edge of wing with clear view canopy and tail fairing, the whole of which slides aft to give access to the cockpit and which may be jettisoned complete in an emergency. Pilot’s seat is armoured and is further backed by an armoured bulkhead and headrest, the latter forming part of the jettisonable cockpit canopy. Bullet proof windscreen. The wireless aerial lead is in the roof the canopy. The canopy cannot be opened in the air except to be jettisoned. Armament comprises two 13mm MG131 with 220 rounds of ammunition in the forward fuselage decking and two 20mm MG201 with 150 rounds of ammunition per gun , located in the wing roots and synchronised to fire through the propeller arc. Attachment points in the outer wing panels for two 100 kg bombs; attachment point beneath the centre fuselage for one 120-litre jettisonable auxiliary fuel tank.

Henschel Hs130A Maritime Strike Aircraft

(Thanks to Vukovlad for the use of the drawing)

Technical Description

Low wing cantilever monoplane. Constant taper from roots to tips, with most taper on trailing edges. Wing in three main sections, comprising a wide centre-section with flat upper surface and two outer sections with dihedral on upper surfaces and detachable tips. All metal structure with one main and two auxiliary spars, former ribs and a smooth metal skin. Metal-framed fabric-covered Frise type ailerons with both fixed and controllable trim tabs. All-metal Fowler type flaps on centre section.

The crew of three is seated beneath a continuous canopy with sliding sections. The pilot is seated in the fore part of the cockpit, and behind him sits the navigator/observer; the wireless operator/air gunner occupies the rear position. Oxygen equipment fitted. Defensive armament comprises two fixed 15mm MG151 machineguns with 300 rounds per gun located in the forward fuselage and one flexible 15mm MG151 machinegun with 400 rounds located in the rear of the cockpit. Internal bomb cell for up to 1,000 kg of bombs; additional ordnance up to 500 kg can be carried on hard points beneath the wing centre-section. Alternative, one torpedo can be carried externally.

Dornier Do330 Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft

Technical Description

Mid wing cantilever monoplane in three portions, comprising a rectangular centre-section built integral with the fuselage and two tapering outer sections. Wing is designed to give temporary flotation in event of ditching. Structure of light metal consisting of two spars and the usual number of ribs, the whole covered with a stressed skin of smooth duralumin sheet. All-metal ailerons, each incorporating a spring and trim tab. Fowler type all metal in-board and out-board trailing edge flaps. All metal two section spoilers in upper surface of outer wing panels inboard of ailerons. Thermal de-icing of leading edges.

Fuselage of conventional unpressurised semi-monocoque construction. Main structure is built up of a number of formers and stringers to which the stressed skin is riveted.

Cantilever all-metal tail unit. Spring tab and trim tab in rudder, balance tab and spring tab in each elevator. Tail unit has thermal de-icing of all leading edges.

Crew of eight. The station for one wireless operator/air gunner is located in the nose of the aircraft; cockpit for the pilot and observer follows; the flight engineer’s station is located behind and below the cockpit, with the navigator. Two stations are provided for electronic equipment operators while a final station is provided in the rear of the aircraft for the second wireless operator/air gunner. Two twin 15mm MG151 machineguns with 250 rounds per gun located in the forward gunner’s position and two similar weapons in the tail gunner’s position. Internal bomb cell for up to 4,000 kg of free-fall bombs, depth charges, torpedoes or other ordnance. External mounts for additional ordnance or auxiliary fuel tanks. Equipment includes long and short wave transmitting and receiving sets, direction-finding loop, blind approach receiver and airborne electronic detection equipment.